Curtain guide device for curtain rods



26, 1965 F. J. RUSCHMAN, JR 3,167,225

CURTAIN GUIDE DEVICE FOR CURTAIN RODS Filed Jan. 26, 1962 El Q l.

INVENTOR.

EQEDER/CK 1 R115 CHM/W72.

f7 TTORNE Y 3,167,225 CURTAIN GUIDE DEVKIE FOR CURTAIN RODS Frederick J. Ruschman, In, 1522 N. Gibson Ave, Indianapolis, Ind. Filed Jan. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 169,004 1 Claim. (Cl. 223-165) This invention relates to devices for use in conjunction with the end of at least one rod of a pair of telescoping curtain rods for free guidance of a curtain, drapery or the like in attachment or threading onto the rod to avoid engagement of the curtain or drapery with edge portions at the end of the rod.

More particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character defined initially formed in an extended position and flexed in attachment to a rod to establish tensional engagement of the device with the rod.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through one end portion of a curtain rod showing one of my improved devices mounted in connection therewith in elevation and indicating, in part, in dot-dash lines the application of a curtain or drapery to the rod.

FIG. 2 is a section generally on the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing my device in elevation and indicating, in part, in dot-dash lines the telescoping of a companion rod member with the rod, partially shown in section; and

FIG. 3 is a veiw, generally similar to FIG. 1, showing my device in spaced relation to a curtain rod end, preparatory to attachment to the curtain rod and illustrating relationship of part of the device with respect to the rod in dot-dash lines.

In the drawing, represents one end portion of a more or less conventional curtain rod and preferably the smaller rod of a pair of telescoping rods, the other rod of the pair being indicated, in part, in dot-dash lines at 10' in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The rod 10 consists of a side wall 11, terminating at its sides in rounded flange portions 12, including short side wall portions 13 spaced with respect to the wall 11, as will clearly appear from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing. At 14 is shown one of my improved curtain guide devices, comprising a more or less horseshoe-shaped body 15, partially formed by a rounded inner surface 15', the ends of the body 15 terminating in shoulders 16. The sides of the body 15 are contracted outwardly, as clearly noted in FIG. 2 of the drawing, and the rounded end 17 is formed by contracted surfaces 18, as clearly noted in FIG. 3 of the drawing, which define what might be termed a nose portion on the body 15 which facilitates free passage or threading of a curtain over the device, as diagrammatically illustrated by the dot-dash showing of the hem 19 of a curtain 20 in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

Extending beyond the shoulders 16, the device has outwardly contracted gripper fingers 21, this contraction being clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The fingers 21 also have contracted outer and inner surfaces 22 and 23, the surface 22 terminating at the end of the finger in a rounded cam portion 24, as clearly noted in FIGS of the drawing.

The device 14 can be formed of any suitable material United States Patent 0 ice having flexible properties and preferably a molded plastic device can be employed and this device is molded in the form shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing and in such manner that the pointed ends 25 of the fingers 21 will be spaced apart a distance less than the spacing between inner surfaces 12' of the flanges 12, as represented by the dot-dash lines 26 in FIG. 1. Thus, the fingers will have free entrance into the channel of the rod 10 formed between the rounded flanges 12 so that, in forcing the device into the channel of the rod 10, the fingers will be tensionally moved inwardly and assume the position illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1 and, therefore, tensionally held against displacement from the rod 19. This spring action is by virtue of the contour of the body 15, including its rounded inner surface 15'. Thus, the ends having the shoulders 16 may be said to comprise spring arms of the body. The body 15, as well as the fingers 21, preferably have rounded outer surfaces in cross-sectional contour of these parts and particularly for the fingers 21 to conform generally, but freely, with the rounded contour of the flanges 12.

Considering FIGS. 1 and 3, it will appear that the shoulders 16 at ends of the body 15 are extended beyond the surfaces 22 of the fingers, as seen at 27, and it is quite apparent, from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing, that the shoulders 16 project beyond side surfaces of the fingers, thus these shoulders project the body 15 or the ends thereof sufiiciently to at least aline with outer surfaces of the cross-sectional contour of the rod 1%. This will clearly appear from a consideration of FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. It will, thus, be seen that the device, or the body portion 15 thereof, will freely guide the hem 1d of a curtain or drapery over the rod 10, preventing any checking of this operation by sharp ends of the rod which would otherwise prevail. At the same time, after the curtain has been attached to the rod, the second companion rod 19 can be freely mounted on the rod 10. In other words, the device can, at all times, be retained on the rod 10 and, in fact, by virtue of the simplicity and economy in the construction of the device, the device can be sold in the assembled relationship with the rod 10. With this arrangement, both curtains or drapes will be attached to the one rod 10 and then, after the rod It) has been attached to the rod 10, the one curtain can be moved onto the rod 10', as is the common practice.

In some instances, the device 14 can be detached from the rod 10 if sold with the rod 10 and then partially flexed into the end of the rod 16' for guidance of a curtain onto 10', after which, the device can be mounted in the rod 10 and the other curtain threaded onto the rod 10. This would be particularly desirable when the device is sold as an accessory for use in conjunction with previously purchased rods and a single device can be used in conjunction with various pairs of curtain rods in the application of curtains thereon.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A guide device for curtain rods, said device comprising a generally horseshoe-shaped body of flexible material, said body having a rounded inner surface and a central outwardly contracted nose portion, ends of said body being enlarged and terminating in projecting gripper fingers having rounded cam ends extending outwardly from said body, said fingers having outwardly contracted sides and inner and outer surfaces, said enlarged ends of the flexiblebody having shoulders at the juncture of the gripper fingers therewith, the flexible body normallysupporting said fingers including said inner surfaces thereof in diverging relationship to each other when the device is not in use, ends of said body being, flexed toward each other in attachment of the gripper fingers of said device with a curtain rod, and the cross-sectional contour of the enlarged ends of the body adjacent said shoulders being such as to he flush with the outside surface of the curtain rod to provide free passage of a curtain over the guide device onto a curtain rod, in connection with which the device is adapted to be mounted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,178,914 11/39 McGurk 223105 2,183,328 12/39 Baacke 223-105 2,459,001 1/49 Murray et, a1., 223105 2,517,217 8/50 Laub 223105 FOREIGN PATENTS 452,216 11/48 Canada;

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

